Gluten Free Fruit Pizza

Happy Independence Day! It’s a day after the 4th of July and you’re probably getting foods in your wordpress feed filled with red, white, and blue. Here’s one more that can be made for next years festivities and it’s gluten free!

Ingredients

For the cookie crust:

1 3/4 cups all purpose gluten free flour

3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 egg at room temperature, beaten

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Lukewarm water by the half-teaspoonful, as necessary

For the whipped cream cheese filling:

1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

For the fruit topping:

4 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced about 1/4-inch thick

4 ounces fresh blueberries

4 ounces fresh raspberries

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-inch pizza pan (or large baking sheet) with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.

First, make the cookie dough. In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar and confectioners sugar, and whisk to combine well. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, egg and vanilla, mixing to combine after each addition. The dough should come together and be thick but not stiff. If it is stiff, add water by the quarter teaspoonful, mixing to combine after each addition, until the dough reaches the proper consistency.

Shape and bake the crust. Place the cookie dough between two sheets of unbleached parchment paper and roll it out into a round about 3/8-inch thick and about 11-inches in diameter. If your pizza pan is smaller, trim the circle to fit the pan. Place the shaped dough on the prepared pizza pan or baking sheet, and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or the freezer for less than 10 minutes to chill until firm. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and place the pan in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the crust is very lightly golden brown on the underside and set all the way to the center. Remove from the oven an allow the crust to cool completely on the pan. The cookie crust can be made days (or even weeks) ahead of time, cooled, and then wrapped tightly and frozen. Defrost at room temperature and continue with the recipe.

Make the filling. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the cream to a smaller bowl and set it aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a large bowl with a handheld mixer, place the remaining cream and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Add the confectioners sugar, and continue to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a separate, large bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill. In the same bowl, place the cream cheese, vanilla, salt and reserved 2 tablespoons of cream. With the whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese mixture on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Remove the whipped cream from the refrigerator and add half of the whipped cream mixture to the cream cheese mixture, and whisk to combine. Add the remaining whipped cream, and fold it into the filling carefully until combined.

Assemble the pizza. Place the filling on top of the cooled cookie crust, and spread into an even layer. Decorate the top with the fruit in whatever pattern you like. Slice and serve immediately, or, for a cleaner slice, place the assembled fruit pizza in the refrigerator for about an hour to allow the filling to set.